macbook

Than I had to install some additional software to enjoy the Mac, we’ll see if I keep them for my mother.

First, there is Adium, an Instant Messenger which is able to handle ICQ, Jabber and doesn’t bug you with .Mac (like iChat does). Nice one, but till now I don’t have found how to keep the program at the dock after starting – it always shows you the contact window. Continue Reading »

Nearly as fast as I got the MacBook, I received the printer I bought at eBay. Just told you, I bought an HP Deskjet 995c, cause this one has bluetooth included and I liked to make the system as flexible as possible. First impression, it’s an heavy printer – the weight of around 6,5kg remembered me on some russian technology… Continue Reading »

network configuration: it wasn’t as easy as I thought to connect the computer to the network. There is an assistent, but as intelligent as assistents are this one didn’t got the idea that I might like to get my internet (by now) out of an ad-hoc WLAN network. The airport was not able to find the network, nor was it able to connect to it if I entered the SSID of our network in the network settings. At some point I found the icon at the upper status-bar, clicked on it and saw not only wireless networks, but also computer-to-computer networks. And there it was, as easy as expected. Continue Reading »

First overall impression was good, the MacBook came in a huge box but after unwrapping all the air-shock-absorbers it ended as a real nice computer. „Designed by Apple in California“, and surely produced in China, but anyway, all looks very solid and nice.

You instantly notice the small things: the Power adapter has to ways of getting plugged into the power-net: with a long cord or as a wall power supply, as you like it. Trying to put the power-cable into the MacBook it jumps at the right place and a small LED-light shows you that something is the way it should. Nice, fancy.

But now the real test. Pressing the power button the first time it gives you some options to change language and so on, but then it’s tries to register. This combined „register and create user accounts“ is a real mess (the image beneath shows the same dialog, but later). No indicator what the registration is good for, only a nice long text which ensures that they won’t play around with your data and they need it to give you a better service. And no way to go further without entering a name, fullname, address and a telephone number. What’s this? And you can only go forward (implies entering the data) or back (which is not what you want). Aborting might be possible, but maybe you abort the whole initial configuration? Really bad… Continue Reading »

Future is now, so it was time to help my mother to enjoy the net as I do. And first I thought I’ll suggest her using a Linux, maybe Ubuntu system, but as much as I personally like Ubuntu there are some problems using Linux (have you ever tried to go to a shop and ask if a specific hardware is working with Linux? than you know what I’m talking about)

So I suggested my mother to buy a mac, more precise the cheapest MacBook available (MacBook MA699D/A, 1.83 GHz Intel Core 2, 512 MB RAM, 60GB disc, 13,3“ screen). This way I thought I might have the chance to administrate the machine without going mad and my mother hopefully will get attracted by the fancy computer too. Ok, ordered one at www.cyberport.de (have to mention this, cause it arrived around 30hrs later, wow). Continue Reading »